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Spirit Flyer #6
The Runaway Parents
What's a family to do when the parents get in trouble and run away from home? That's the problem the Kramers faced. The whole family had decided to follow the way of Spirit Flyers. But Mom and Dad turned against them and joined the powerful and sinister Goliath Industries--who were taking over not only Centerville, but the country and the world as well. Would they come back? Would the children be able to forgive them? Would Grandfather Kramer? Would the runaway parents be able to forgive themselves? Here is a fast-paced adventure with an enduring message.
164 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 1, 2021
Hm. Big drop off in quality. Even with my scaled rating system, it's two stars.
The Spirit Flyers has always been allegorical but it has always been carried by a very fantastical take with flying bicycles, giant snakes in the skies, and madman truck drivers with red glowing eyes. Not so here. Here it's all allegory and very little fantasy. To be fair, the story is not shy about this- you can probably figure out exactly the allegorical contents from the title: RUNAWAY Parents: A PARABLE of Problem Parents. The problem is this story's allegorical has slid more into sermon on the prodigal son than an adventure story by way of Christian allegory. I think CS Lewis' handling of Eustace selfishness into repentance is far more poignant in part because it is only a part of the story and not the whole of it. There's still a lot of adventure to be had.
The sixth book lacks the central antagonist/ evil plot of the previous, which is to its detriment. The mystery of John's parents drives the plot forward, but I think it's less compelling. I also don't think the series gains from rewriting John's backstory as the mysterious and untimely death of John's parents was always very compelling. Knowing what really happened is somehow rather mundane. And I think that's largely the problem with this book- the first in the series held so much fantastical promise, strange bike parts to be added to the bike that we barely touched upon (gear shifters that move a person forward and back in time- what else can those old broken looking bike parts do?) But this part is never really expanded. Instead, for a series centred on magic bicycles, we see less and less of them as the series progresses. Largely they are used in this story as inconsistent transportation and that's about it. It's all far more mundane than what is hinted from the first book. Too bad. The other books were great, but this one could be skipped.
The Spirit Flyers has always been allegorical but it has always been carried by a very fantastical take with flying bicycles, giant snakes in the skies, and madman truck drivers with red glowing eyes. Not so here. Here it's all allegory and very little fantasy. To be fair, the story is not shy about this- you can probably figure out exactly the allegorical contents from the title: RUNAWAY Parents: A PARABLE of Problem Parents. The problem is this story's allegorical has slid more into sermon on the prodigal son than an adventure story by way of Christian allegory. I think CS Lewis' handling of Eustace selfishness into repentance is far more poignant in part because it is only a part of the story and not the whole of it. There's still a lot of adventure to be had.
The sixth book lacks the central antagonist/ evil plot of the previous, which is to its detriment. The mystery of John's parents drives the plot forward, but I think it's less compelling. I also don't think the series gains from rewriting John's backstory as the mysterious and untimely death of John's parents was always very compelling. Knowing what really happened is somehow rather mundane. And I think that's largely the problem with this book- the first in the series held so much fantastical promise, strange bike parts to be added to the bike that we barely touched upon (gear shifters that move a person forward and back in time- what else can those old broken looking bike parts do?) But this part is never really expanded. Instead, for a series centred on magic bicycles, we see less and less of them as the series progresses. Largely they are used in this story as inconsistent transportation and that's about it. It's all far more mundane than what is hinted from the first book. Too bad. The other books were great, but this one could be skipped.
May 12, 2017
The blurb above (taken directly from the back of the book) is the most misleading, inaccurate summary ever. Here's what actually happens:
Eleven year old John Kramer has grown up believing his parents were killed by a tornado over a decade ago. He eventually discovers instead that they've been kidnapped, tortured, and enslaved. His mom is now a dump-dwelling junkie terrorized by talking serpents, and his dad is "Crazy Joe the Hogman" at an amusement park haunted house. When not mucking about with mechanical pigs & being hit by slop balls by park patrons, Joe literally lives in an underground mud pit. There he is repeatedly yanked to the ground by heavy chains and forced to watch mocking images of every horrible thing people have ever said about him.
These scenes (often accompanied by dark illustrations) are horrifying, especially as John witnesses all of this and tries in vain to rescue his parents from their bondage and humiliation.
And in case the plot doesn't seem sinister enough, the parts of the book that don't feature parents are equally ominous. Goliath / ORDER have taken over the government and most businesses, and the extended family who raised John are forced to make preparations for the impending battle. They open their farm to homeless outcasts, Spirit Flyers, and other Rank Blanks, but Number Day is coming and their money will be useless...
The Kingson totally redeems the story, of course, but even with his frequent surprise appearances the book is nothing like the cutesy back summary suggests. (Seriously, "Grandfather Kramer"? That's not even a plot point. The inclusion of his name just makes the book sound cozy.) The real story is about how shame and mistrust become brutal cycles that enslave us from the people who love us most. The extreme imagary might be too much for its target audience (I was terrified by this entire series as a 12-year-old), but the parable hits home as an adult.
Eleven year old John Kramer has grown up believing his parents were killed by a tornado over a decade ago. He eventually discovers instead that they've been kidnapped, tortured, and enslaved. His mom is now a dump-dwelling junkie terrorized by talking serpents, and his dad is "Crazy Joe the Hogman" at an amusement park haunted house. When not mucking about with mechanical pigs & being hit by slop balls by park patrons, Joe literally lives in an underground mud pit. There he is repeatedly yanked to the ground by heavy chains and forced to watch mocking images of every horrible thing people have ever said about him.
These scenes (often accompanied by dark illustrations) are horrifying, especially as John witnesses all of this and tries in vain to rescue his parents from their bondage and humiliation.
And in case the plot doesn't seem sinister enough, the parts of the book that don't feature parents are equally ominous. Goliath / ORDER have taken over the government and most businesses, and the extended family who raised John are forced to make preparations for the impending battle. They open their farm to homeless outcasts, Spirit Flyers, and other Rank Blanks, but Number Day is coming and their money will be useless...
The Kingson totally redeems the story, of course, but even with his frequent surprise appearances the book is nothing like the cutesy back summary suggests. (Seriously, "Grandfather Kramer"? That's not even a plot point. The inclusion of his name just makes the book sound cozy.) The real story is about how shame and mistrust become brutal cycles that enslave us from the people who love us most. The extreme imagary might be too much for its target audience (I was terrified by this entire series as a 12-year-old), but the parable hits home as an adult.
September 17, 2016
A unique Christian allegory for children that is suitable for adults also
August 16, 2025
I think this book resonates with me the most out of the entire series. It is clearly the story of the prodigal son, but with a twist. It also deals heavily with shame and pity, which is the part that resonates with me, I think. The redemption and miracles in this book are strong, and the presence of the Kingson and the Kingdom occur more often and are more pronounced. Of course, as a kids book, the themes are lighter and less intense, but an adult can see them clearly and understand the depth of them. I think they are wonderful children’s books and I am still enjoying them as an adult.
November 27, 2022
Great book
It was a great book very entertaining and enjoyable
I one hundred percent recommend reading it thank you for the free book:)
It was a great book very entertaining and enjoyable
I one hundred percent recommend reading it thank you for the free book:)
May 3, 2009
I read this as a kid - made a huge impression on me. So big, that I finally tried looking it up again. The library didn't carry it. And wow. Still an awesome series. The first book is the hardest for me - glowing red eyes, black snake funnel clouds - scary stuff. But if ever there were a series that did a good job explaining good and bad - the insidious tendrils of evil and the overwhelming unconditional love of God, this is it. Each book in the series is fabulous. My eight year old is not ready for this yet, but I will read it to her when she is ready. I've seen bad reviews - yes, if you are a person who dislikes fantasy, magic and scary stuff, this is not a series for you. But John Bibee did a fabulous job with the Spirit Flyer Series - my kids will definitely go through the whole group with me some day.
February 4, 2014
This is the worst installment in The Magic Bicycle series. I'm not sure why we needed two books about John when every other main character only got one. Also, the fact that John's parents are still alive seemed kind of silly. I feel like John Bibee changed his mind and decided to "bring them back to life" near the end of the series.
July 29, 2011
This is one of my favorite series. I love how the author shows children, in a delicate manor that even parents make mistakes because they love their children, and need understanding and forgiveness just like them.
December 31, 2007
I read this in like two days!!! I stayed up too late.... oops.
September 5, 2009
I love the Spirit Flyer series by Bibee but this is definitely the weak link in the series. The Magic Bicycle is magic and I read it to my third graders every year and it has been a favorite.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews